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Image / Vatadāgē: Moonstone, north entrance

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Title
Vatadāgē: Moonstone, north entrance
Creator
de Silva, Preethi
Date Created and/or Issued
1999
Publication Information
Claremont Colleges Library
Contributing Institution
Claremont Colleges Library
Collection
Ancient Cultural Sites and Royal Residences
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Description
One of the most beautiful and well-preserved moonstones in the city. Here the earlier order of the carvings of animals in the concentric semi-circles is different to some other moonstones (as often seen at Anuradhapura). Only one animal is featured in each band and the narrow bands between the wider ones also are decorated, with geometric or rosette patterns. Viewed inward from the outer circle: flame motif, 31 geese, 14 elephants (with trunks held curled or hanging down), 12 horses, scrolled creeper (vine), separated by decorated band and finally lotus petals of the central half-lotus. The vertical bands of the steps are decorated in bas reliefs of ganas (dwarf figures) separated by ornate pilasters. Length: 7 feet, 6 inches. Breadth: 4 feet, 9.5 inches.
Type
image
Format
image/jp2
Identifier
acs01069.jpg
http://ccdl.claremont.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15831coll15/id/1190
Subject
Moonstones
Time Period
12th century CE
Place
Daladā Maluva (Terrace of the Tooth Relic): Vatadāgē
Polonnaruva
Sri Lanka
Relation
Ancient Buddhist Sites and Royal Residences in Sri Lanka - https://ccdl.claremont.edu/digital/collection/p15831coll15

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